


visiting hours

by ottermo



Series: As Prompted [97]
Category: Humans (TV)
Genre: Gen, superhero au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:28:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24943123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ottermo/pseuds/ottermo
Summary: Laura brings Astrid to see where they’re keeping Niska prisoner.It’s another ‘the Elsters have superpowers’ oneshot.
Relationships: Laura Hawkins & Astrid Schaeffer, Nistrid - mentioned
Series: As Prompted [97]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/360089
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	visiting hours

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2019 challenge. Prompt 8: secret superheroes.
> 
> I realised afterwards that this isn’t actually AU from a canonical scene like I thought while I was writing it, but rather AU from a fill-in fic I wrote for another challenge. Self-absorption at its finest!

“I don’t understand,” Astrid says, helplessly, after they remove her from the observation deck. “She isn’t dangerous. I know her. She’s not some kind of monster. Who _are_ these people–”

Laura draws closer to her. “Not here,” she says, just barely above a whisper. Her eyes flit to the side momentarily, and Astrid catches her drift: they are being watched. The ‘secret’ facility isn’t so big on secrecy _inside_ its walls.

They move down the corridor briskly. Astrid doesn’t allow herself to look at the doors they’re passing, or wonder about who is held prisoner behind each one. She looks straight ahead, her mind still replaying the sight of Niska, held behind glass like she’s some kind of – some kind of _reptile_ , armed guards standing at every corner. It would be a ridiculous image, would seem like complete overkill, if their precautions hadn’t somehow been matched by the intensity in Niska’s eyes. Astrid’s haunted by that. There had been no bewildered, beseeching pleas of innocence. No confusion. Just a cold, cold rage.

Worse, when she’d locked eyes with Astrid, she hadn’t appealed for help or rescue, not even in her gaze. She’d just looked…sad. Defeated. As if she’d rather Astrid wasn’t there at all.

Laura shows her ID to a machine, and the first of two huge doors slides open to let them through. Sunlight pours in through the outer set of doors, reminding Astrid that it’s still day, even though it feels like hours and hours have passed since they first ushered her in to Niska’s prison cell. It should be dark out there - there should be some visible proof of how much has changed since this morning.

Even in the car, Laura is silent until they’re out of the compound, purring down the road outside the gates. “So,” she says, finally. “You were saying?”

Astrid wrings her hands together. “Why is she there? What are they doing to her, what has she done?”

“I don’t have all the answers,” Laura says, gentle but not dismissive. “But I’ll tell you what I know. Niska has…abilities. She was genetically engineered by a man named David Elster, and raised as his child. There are five others. All of them have been held at the facility at one time or another. Last time it was just for testing, to see what they could do and why they can do it.” She pauses, looks more serious. “This time…they think Niska killed somebody.”

Astrid feels cold suddenly, a chill creeping through her bones. “Did she?” she asks, her voice small, ashamed somehow that she can even ask it.

“Yes,” says Laura. “But it was in self-defence. We just have to convince the people who are holding her that she isn’t a danger to the public. She’s strong, that’s the problem - superhumanly strong. She snapped a man’s windpipe with less energy than you or I would need to pick up a pencil. But it doesn’t mean she’s… bad. Well, you know that better than anyone.”

Astrid shudders. “She didn’t tell me anything about _any_ of this.”

“I know. I was counting on it.” Laura makes a turn Astrid doesn’t remember from the journey in, but supposes they might not be headed straight back to the station. “The fact that you managed to live with her for that long and never suspect a thing - that has to count for something. I’m hoping they’ll see she’s in control of her abilities. She’s not just a mindless weapon.”

“Will they listen to you, though?”

“I don’t know,” Laura admits. “They couldn’t deny her legal counsel. Even with the changes to their DNA, she and her siblings are still human…they have rights. But whether they’ll take the slightest bit of notice of what I have to say… I have no idea. I hope so.”

“The others, her – siblings,” Astrid says, “Are they all like Niska?”

“They have different abilities. But they all just want to live - in that way they’re the same.” Laura sighs. “It’s going to be a long fight, I think. But if you’re in, if you want to help get Niska out of there…?”

“Of course.”

“Then we’re going to see Niska’s sister,” Laura says.

Upon a sidewards glance, Astrid sees something familiar in the other woman’s eyes: something she’s only ever seen in the mirror up ’til now.


End file.
